A Michelin- starred Hampshire chef has scooped a top award in the "Oscars of the Foodservice Industry".

Matthew Tomkinson, head chef at the Montagu Arms in Beaulieu, was named Hotel Chef of the Year (fewer than 250 covers) at the Hotel Cateys Awards 2015.

A panel of more than 65 judges, chosen for their knowledge and expertise, deliberated over thousands of entries to decide the winners of the 18 categories before the glitzy awards dinner at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel.

This was the third year in a row Matthew had been shortlisted for the award and the win topped an outstanding year for the chef.

During the last 12 months he has been named ‘Chef of the Year’ at the Hampshire Life Food & Drinks Awards and Matthew and his team achieved the prestigious Michelin Star for the eighth successive year.

Earlier this month the Montagu Arms won the Flavour of the South east award at the Beautiful South Awards.

Outside of work, Matthew and his partner Alex, celebrated the birth of their first child.

Matthew commented: “I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the winner of the Hotel Chef of the Year. Being awarded such a prestigious accolade which has previously been won by so many incredible chefs brings me an enormous sense of pride and joy.

I am immensely proud of the continued hard work and dedication of each and every member of my kitchen team at The Montagu Arms Hotel, without their unrelenting assistance and creative ideas, we wouldn’t have been able to continue to push forward and retain the Montagu Arms position as one of the top places to stay and dine in the UK.”

James Hiley-Jones, operations director at Greenclose which own the Montagu Arms, said the hotel had enjoyed a record year in the restaurant and accommodation sides of the business.

He said the Montagu’s Terrace Restaurant would undergo a refurbishment in February and March when a new a kitchen would also be installed. There were also plans to convert a barn at the rear of the hotel into two guest suites.